Why I will be called Mrs Beynon

I'll never forget a student telling me that I was mean when I said that my children's friends will call me Mrs. Beynon.  Mean? I looked at him and simply said, "I am not their friend, I am their friends' parent and will therefore be called Mrs. B" 

The truth of the matter is I continue to call the adults on the block where I grew up Mr and Mrs so and so.  I see friends parents on Facebook and I still refer to them as Mr or Mrs so and so.  It took me a long time, and her adamantly requesting it, to even call my mother in law by her first name.  Call me old school, but I firmly believe addressing adults as Mr. and Mrs. is the proper thing to do. 

I look at it this way:  I know that my girls are going to back talk to me and sadly to other adults, not because it is acceptable, rather because they are kids that will, heck already do, test boundaries.  I am sure that they will have friends that test those boundaries with me as well.  However, it is a lot more difficult to roll your eyes and mouth off to someone when addressing them properly, Mrs. Beynon, then when using their first name, Rita.  Try it.  Mr. and Mrs. command respect; these titles state, I am the adult and as such the person in charge, not because you are not respected, but because you are young and as such more apt to make bad decisions.  Mr. and Mrs. teach children that their is a hierarchy.  There are people older and wiser who should not only be treated with respect but spoken to with respect. 

I did not become a parent in order to have more friends.  I have plenty of friends and family who can call me Rita.  The friends of my daughters will not have that privilege.  Mrs. Beynon, Mrs. B., Mrs. Rita, maybe, Auntie Rita, for those closest, that will become my name to all the little rascals in my life.  I request this name out of love and a desire to teach today's youth that there are those of us who have come before you, you are not the first nor will you be the last, you must earn respect and work hard in this life, and you can start by appreciating us old people and learning a thing or two from us.  This is for Mr. & Mrs. Buschman, Mr. & Mrs. Greene, Mr. and Mrs. Primo, Mr. & Mrs. Reed, Mr. & Mrs. Menna, Mr. and Mrs. Carducci, Mr. & Mrs. Dunn, Mr. & Mrs. Harrell, Mr.& Mrs. Brady, Mrs. Graf, and all of the other parents of friends (the list could go on forever) who influenced me at so many different stages in so many different ways.  I love you all and will always address you as Mr. and Mrs. (sorry can't teach an old dog new tricks).